Apparatus for marking moving objects

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for marking a succession of objects moving past a marking station along a conveyor. A pendulum mounted marking head which when not in use is suspended in a first, horizontal position out of the path of the objects, is provided. A sensor is energized when an object begins to approach the marking station move the marking head into a second, vertical, position spaced from but closer to the path of the object. As the object more closely approaches the marking station the marking head, still in vertical position, is moved into the path of the object to mark it, following which the marking head is retracted into its first position.

United States Patent Lany 1 May 2, 1972 54 APPARATUS FOR MARKING MOVING 3,174,426 3/1965 Boekeloo et a1 ..101/42 OBJECTS [72] Inventor: Jan Lany, Ostrava, Czechoslovakia [73] Assignee: Vitkovicke zelezarny Klementa Gottwalda,

narodni podnik, Ostrava, Czechoslovakia [22] Filed: July 16, 1969 21 App1.No.: 842,406

[52] U.S.CI ..101/4,101/35,101/44,

[51] Int. Cl. ..B4lf 17/20 [58] Field ofSearch ..l0l/35,4144, 101/4, DIG. 3

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,418,165 4/1947 Deitrich ..l0l/4 2,646,746 7/1953 Muller, Sr.....

2,776,617 l/l957 Hendrickson.

3,020,834 2/1962 Brown et a] ..lOl/4 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 950,621 2/1964 Great Britain ..101/4 Primary ExaminerRobert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Clifford D. Crowder Attorney-Arthur O. Klein [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for marking a succession of objects moving past a marking station along a conveyor. A pendulum mounted marking head which when not in use is suspended in a first, horizontal position out of the path of the objects, is provided. A sensor is energized when an object begins to approach the marking station move the marking head into a second, vertical, position spaced from but closer to the path of the object. As the object more closely approaches the marking station the marking head, still in vertical position, is moved into the path of the object to mark it, following which the marking head is retracted into its first position.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented May 2, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet l ax, Jan LANY Patented May 2, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Jan LA NY MM O2 m A 'I'TORNIJY APPARATUS FOR MARKING MOVING OBJECTS This invention relates to an apparatus for marking moving objects. An example of such objects is rolled metal shapes moving at high speed in longitudinally spaced relationship on a driven conveyor.

Rolling mill plants employ devices for marking rolled products to permit the identity of the products, which may differ in quality, to be preserved. Usually the mark is stamped on the front end of such products, e.g., billets, rails, rods, and the like, the mark being applied either while the object is at rest or is moving on a conveyor. Devices for marking objects in motion have in some cases consisted of a pendulum mounted on a fixedly positioned pivot shaft above the path of the objects, the pendulum carrying a marking head on its lower or free end. The pendulum is either released so that the marking head hits the forward end of an object, or is disposed in the path of an object so that the head is hit by the object as the latter moves toward it. The timing of the lowering of the marking head and of its rebound in which it returns to its starting position are controlled, for example, by a photo-cell or a limit switch on the marking device.

Previous pendulum type marking machines have required that there be a sufficient distance between successive objects being marked for the pendulum to be lowered without interference with the preceding, marked, object. If the distances between successive objects be small, as in the case of continuous rolling trains driven at high speed, it is impossible to use marking devices of the pendulum type wherein the pendulum is mounted on a fixed axis, because when the pendulum is lowered it will catch the rear end of the preceding rolled shape. Marking could be carried out, under such circumstances, only when the rolled products were at rest; this is very troublesome and expensive, and often causes confusion.

The invention has among its objects the provision of a novel apparatus for marking objects travelling in succession along a given path.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved marking apparatus of the pendulum type which permits the marking of a succession of objects travelling rapidly along a conveyor.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in longitudinal vertical section through an illustrative apparatus in accordance with the invention, the apparatus being shown with the marking head in its elevated, first, inoperative position;

FIG. 2 is a simplified view in side elevation of the marking mechanism with the head thereof in the position of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view of the marking head-carrying portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1, the marking head being shown in its second, at ready, position; and

FIG. 4 is a view of the apparatus similar to FIG. 3 but with the marking head in its third, operative position.

Turning now to the drawings, there is there shown a roller table having driven rolls 19 over which rolled shapes travel in rapid succession in the direction from left to right. A first rolled shape, at the right, is designated 20; the succeeding shape, designated 21, has its forward end 21a separated a relatively short distance from the rear end 20a of the shape 20.

Above the roller table composed of the rolls 19 there is a fixed frame with an inverted V-shaped standard 1 to the rearwardly and upwardly inclined forward or downstream side of which there are pivotally secured at 1a the rear ends of two similar upper parallel arms 11 and at lb the rear ends of two similar lower parallel arms 12. The arms 11 and 12, which are parallel to each other, have their forward ends pivotally connected to a suspender head 3 along a line parallel to the line between pivot pins 1a and lb. The forward ends ofarms 12 are pivotally connected centrally of the suspender head 3 by pivot pin 4 at the bottom of the head, and the forward ends of arms 11 are pivotally connected to the upper free ends of similar parallel brackets 15 which extend upwardly and rearwardly from the body of the suspender head 3. The suspender head is movable from its lower position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to its upper position, shown in FIG. 3., and back to its lower position (FIG. 4) by means to be described. During such movement, the arms 11, 12 retain the suspender head parallel to its original, FIG. 1, position, at all times. The suspender head is retained from movement downwardly from its FIGS. 1 and 4 positions by engagement of laterally oppositely extending shoulders 5 on the body of the suspender head with wings 2 projecting forwardly from the standard 1.

The suspender head 3 is selectively moved into its lower position of FIG. 1 and its upper position of FIG. 3 by an hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 13 one end of the body of which is pivotally connected to standard 1 coaxially of the pivot pins 1b. The outer end of the piston rod of cylinder 13 is pivotally connected to brackets 15 coaxially of the pivotal connections of arms 11 to brackets 15. Upon the admission of fluid under pressure to the lower end of cylinder 13 the piston and piston rod 14 thereof are thrust out of the cylinder to raise the suspender head 3 into the elevated position of FIG. 3. Upon the release of fluid pressure in the lower end of cylinder 13, the weight of the suspender head and the members secured thereto forces the fluid from the cylinder, thus to lower the suspender head. The cylinder 13, may, if desired, be made double-acting so as to increase the speed and positiveness of the lowering of the suspender head.

A pendulum rod 6 is pivotally connected at its rear (FIG. 1) or upper (FIG. 3) end to the suspender head coaxially of the pivot pins 4. At its forward or lower end the pendulum rod carries a marking head 7. The pendulum rod 6 is selectively moved from a horizontal to a vertical position and back by a double-acting hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 8 which is pivotally connected intermediate its length to the outer free ends of spaced parallel brackets 10 which extend forwardly and upwardly from the main central body of the suspender head. A piston (not shown) within cylinder 8 is connected to a piston rod 9 which extends from the lower end of the cylinder, the lower or outer end of the piston rod being pivotally connected to a bracket 22 affixed to pendulum rod 6 intermediate its length. When fluid under pressure is admitted to the lower end of cylinder 8, piston rod 9 is moved upwardly to pull pendulum rod 6 into its horizontal position (FIG. 1). When the upper end of cylinder 8 is subjected to fluid pressure, the piston rod 9 is thrust outwardly of the cylinder and the pendulum rod 6 is thrust clockwise toward and finally into its vertical terminal position.

When the suspender head 3 is in the position shown in FIG. 3 the pendulum rod 6 is vertical when the piston rod 9 is extended, and the marking head 7 is in a position, designated I, which is above the path of travel of the objects 21, 20, etc.

When the suspender head 3 is in the position shown in FIG. 4,

the pendulum rod remains vertical with piston rod 9 extended, and the marking head 7 lies in lowered position II wherein it is interposed in the path of travel of the objects 20, 21. As will be explained more fully below, the marking head 7 is lowered from its I to its II position at such times that it will freely fit in between the leading end of a later object 21 and the trailing end of the next preceding object 20. The suspension of the suspender head 3 in the manner shown aids the free insertion of the marking head between successive objects because in moving from its position I to its position II the marking head has a substantial component of forward motion in its travel. The marking head 7 is provided with conventional stamps which mark the forward end of an object which engages the head. A switch 16 on the marking head which is engaged by the marked end of the object, initiates the action of a control system which then quickly raises the marking head into its position I, where it is ready for being lowered to mark the forward end of the next object travelling toward it on the conveyor.

The control system includes a photo-cell 17 which is positioned as shown, to receive a beam of light from a light source 23 when no object is interposed between the photo-cell and the light source, and so that the presence of an object between the cell and light source interrupts the beam of light to the cell. A similar photo-cell light source combination 18, 24 is disposed further downstream of the roller table. The photocells l7, l8 operate conventional solenoid operated fluid valves which control the fluid cylinders 8 and 13. The switch 16 on the marking head 7 is connected to the circuit controlling the valve for cylinder 13 to operate the marking head in the manner above described. it is to be understood that if the objects 20, 21 are hot enough to emit rays to operate the photo-cells, the light sources 23, 24 may be omitted.

The described apparatus operates as follows:

When the forward end 21a of an object 21 interrupts the beam of light directed on photo-cell 17, the solenoid operated valve for cylinder 8 is operated so as to thrust the piston rod 9 out of cylinder 8, thereby to move the pendulum rod 6 and marking head 7 from the horizontal position of FIG. 1 into a vertical position. At the same time, the solenoid operated valve which controls cylinder 13 is operated so that the piston rod 14 is thrust outwardly of the cylinder so that the suspender head 3 is lifted into the position thereof shown in FIG. 3 and the marking head 7 lies in its raised position I. Meanwhile the front end 21a of an object 21 will have arrived at the position l where it interrupts the beam of light to photo-cell 18. The cell 18 then operates the solenoid valve operating the cylinder 13 so that the suspender head 3 is lowered into the position thereof shown in FIG. 4, whereas the piston rod 9 of cylinder 8 remains extended so that the marking head 7 lies in its lowered position ll. Immediately thereafter the front end 21a ofthe object 21 hits the marking head 7 so that a mark is stamped on the end 21a. At the same time, the end 21a engages the switch 16 on the marking head 7. The operation of switch 16 operates the valve supplying cylinder 8 so that the piston rod 9 is drawn into cylinder 8 and the pendulum rod 6 and marking head 7 are returned to their horizontal positions shown in FIG. 1.

It will be evident that raising and lowering of the suspenderhead 3 makes it possible for the distance between the forward end 21a of object 21 and the rear end 20a of object 20 to be quite small while still permitting the marking head 7 to be freely introduced between them. To produce such result, the lowering of the suspender head 3 must take place at least while the leading end 21a of object 21 is travelling from position 1,, to position l,,.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus adapted for marking the forward end of each of a plurality of objects while such objects travel in longitudinally spaced relationship along a path, comprising means for conveying the objects along a path of travel, a head for marking the objects, means for mounting the marking head at a marking station in a first generally vertical position spaced from the path of the object, means responsive to the close approach of one of said objects to the marking station for moving the marking head in vertical position into a second position in the path of travel of the objects in advance of one of said objects and holding the marking head in said second position, and means responsive to engagement of the marking head by the forward end of one of said objects for moving the marking head out of the path of the objects.

2. Apparatus adapted for marking the forward end of each of a plurality of objects while such objects travel in longitudinally spaced relationship along a path, comprising means for conveying the objects along a path of travel, a head for marking the objects, means for mounting the marking head at a marking station in a first generally vertical position spaced from the path of the objects, means responsive to the close approach of one of said objects to the marking station for moving the marking head in vertical position into a second position in the path of travel of the objects in advance of said object and holding the marking head in said second position,

means responsive to enga ement of the marking head by the forward end of said object or moving the marking head out of the path of the objects, the means for mounting the marking head holding it in a horizontal, at rest position markedly spaced from the path of the objects, and means responsive to the initial approach of an object to the marking station for moving the marking head into said first vertical position, closer to the path of the objects.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the means for mounting the marking head comprises a vertically movable suspender head, and a pendulum rod pivotally connected at one end to the suspender head, said marking head being mounted on the other end of the pendulum rod, and comprising means for pivoting the pendulum rod on the suspender head from the horizontal to the vertical position of the marking head.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, comprising means operative upon the engagement of the marking head by an ob ject travelling on the conveyor for raising the suspender head to its upper terminal position and for pivoting the pendulum rod and marking head into their horizontal position.

5. Apparatus adapted for marking the forward end of each of a plurality of objects while such objects travel in longitudinally spaced relationship along a path, comprising means for conveying the objects along a path of travel, a head for marking the objects, means for mounting the marking head at a marking station in a first generally vertical position spaced from the path of the objects, means responsive to the close approach of one of said objects to the marking station for moving the marking head in vertical position into a second position in the path of travel of the objects in advance of said object and holding the marking head in said second position, means responsive to engagement of the marking head by the forward end of said object for moving the marking head out of the path of the objects, the means for mounting the marking head comprising a vertically movable suspender head, and a pendulum rod pivotally connected at one end to the suspender head, said marking head being mounted on the other end of the pendulum rod.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the pendulum rod is mounted on the suspender head so that the rod oscillates in a vertical longitudinal plane.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, comprising means for mounting the suspender head including parallel upper and lower arms pivotally connected at one end on the same side of each to a fixed standard and at the other end of each to the suspender head, said arms maintaining the suspender head parallel to its original position at all times, and means for raising and lowering the suspender head and with its the pendulum rod and the marking head.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the said one ends of the arms are pivotally secured to the downstream side of the standard, whereby the marking head in being lowered from its first vertical to its second vertical position moves a substantial distance downstream. 

1. Apparatus adapted for marking the forward end of each of a plurality of objects while such objects travel in longitudinally spaced relationship along a path, comprising means for conveying the objects along a path of travel, a head for marking the objects, means for mounting the marking head at a marking station in a first generally vertical position spaced from the path of the object, means responsive to the close approach of one of said objects to the marking station for moving the marking head in vertical position into a second position in the path of travel of the objects in advance of one of said objects and holding the marking head in said second position, and means responsive to engagement of the marking head by the forward end of one of said objects for moving the marking head out of the path of the objects.
 2. Apparatus adapted for marking the forward end of each of a plurality of objects while such objects travel in longitudinally spaced relationship along a path, comprising means for conveying the objects along a path of travel, a head for marking the objects, means for mounting the marking head at a marking station in a first generally vertical position spaced from the path of the objects, means responsive to the close approach of one of said objects to the marking station for moving the marking head in vertical position into a second position in the path of travel of the objects in advance of said object and holding the marking head in said second position, means responsive to engagement of the marking head by the forward end of said object for moving the marking head out of the path of the objects, the means for mounting the marking head holding it in a horizontal, at rest position markedly spaced from the path of the objects, and means responsive to the initial approach of an object to the marking station for moving the marking head into said first vertical position, closer to the path of the objects.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the means for mounting the marking head comprises a vertically movable suspender head, and a pendulum rod pivotally connected at one end to the suspender head, said marking head being mounted on the other end of the pendulum rod, and comprising means for pivoting the pendulum rod on the suspender head from the horizontal to the vertical position of the marking head.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, comprising means operative upon the engagement of the marking head by an object travelling on the conveyor for raising the suspender head to its upper terminal position and for pivoting the pendulum rod and marking head into their horizontal position.
 5. Apparatus adapted for marking the forward end of each of a plurality of objects while such objects travel in longitudinally spaced relationship along a path, comprising means for conveying the objects along a path of travel, a head for marking the objects, means for mounting the marking head at a marking station in a first generally vertical position spaced from the path of the objects, means responsive to the close approach of one of said objects to the marking station for moving the marking hEad in vertical position into a second position in the path of travel of the objects in advance of said object and holding the marking head in said second position, means responsive to engagement of the marking head by the forward end of said object for moving the marking head out of the path of the objects, the means for mounting the marking head comprising a vertically movable suspender head, and a pendulum rod pivotally connected at one end to the suspender head, said marking head being mounted on the other end of the pendulum rod.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the pendulum rod is mounted on the suspender head so that the rod oscillates in a vertical longitudinal plane.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, comprising means for mounting the suspender head including parallel upper and lower arms pivotally connected at one end on the same side of each to a fixed standard and at the other end of each to the suspender head, said arms maintaining the suspender head parallel to its original position at all times, and means for raising and lowering the suspender head and with its the pendulum rod and the marking head.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the said one ends of the arms are pivotally secured to the downstream side of the standard, whereby the marking head in being lowered from its first vertical to its second vertical position moves a substantial distance downstream. 